Friday, July 22, 2011

Garden Tomato–Zucchini Tian

We love fresh veggies & always have an abundance of them (never mind the fact that my father in law grows them too!!!) And herbs ~ a Summer Bounty! So I am always looking for ways to make them to showcase a variety at the same time outside of a salad... Tian's are perfect because they are so pure~ the cooking process simply brings out the intense, true flavors of the veg & allows a few different varieties to marry in the baking dish. I recently saw this recipe from Saveur which, along with my father-in-law's gorgeous tomatoes, plus, reminded me to make one... It was delish! Use it to top some pasta & you have a delicious vegetarian meal or go ahead & have it as a side.

1. Cut eggplant in 1" slices, sprinkle with salt, & place in a colander. Drain for 30 minutes, then pat dry.

2. Cook onions and garlic in 3 tbsp. of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until slightly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a medium baking dish. In the same skillet, cook eggplant in 2–3 tbsp. of the olive oil until tender and slightly browned, about 10 minutes. Season with salt & pepper, and stir into onion mixture.

3. Preheat oven to 400°. Arrange zucchini, squash & tomatoes in layers with eggplant. Place in the basil, on the sides, drizzle with remaining oil, season with salt & pepper, and bake 30–40 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese, if using, and serve.

BTW~ Have I mentioned that if a recipe even mentions cheese as "optional", it's always a must for me? ;)